Dylann Roof’s trial for the murder of nine black people in a Charleston church continued on Thursday, despite his defence team attempting to halt proceedings after a survivor declared that he belonged “in the pit of hell.”

David Bruck, Roof’s lawyer, tried to get the case declared a mistrial on the grounds that one of the witnesses’ words could be interpreted as recommending a sentence.

The jury, not the witnesses, must decide the sentence - but Felicia Sanders, whose son Tywanza was murdered by Roof, said he belonged “in the pit of hell.”

Ms Sanders, who was in the church at the time, choked back tears as she called 22-year-old Roof "evil, evil, evil."

“I just thought he was somebody coming in to seek the word,” she said, adding that he chuckled during the class and “hanged his head down, most of the time, just the way he’s doing now”.

She said when the shooting started she first thought there was an electrical problem with a lift in the building.

“He said: ‘I have to do this.’ And that’s when he put about five bullets in my son.”

She added: “I watched him take his last breathe. I watched my son come into this world. I watched my son leave this life.”

She then burst into tears, causing Judge Richard Gergel to call for a break in the proceedings - several jurors were seen dabbing their eyes as they left the courtroom.

Dylann Storm Roof is escorted from the Sheby Police Department in Shelby, N.C.

Mr Bruck said that her reference to hell was a recommendation on the sentence, and should cause the trial to be scrapped.

But Judge Gergel ruled that he interpreted Felicia Sanders testimony as "a religious comment." And he reminded jurors that any decision on guilt or a sentence is up to them - not the lawyers or witnesses in the case.

The trial had begun on Wednesday, with the self-declared white supremacist’s lawyers arguing not whether he committed the crime, but rather trying to save him from the death penalty.

And the prosecution used their opening statements to detail Roof’s extensive preparations before the attack.

He had studied the church's long history in the black community, found out what time the Bible study would be held, loaded his gun the night before, packed extra ammunition and drove more than an hour to the church, said Jay Richardson, leading the prosecution.

He was welcomed into the Bible study group and sat with them for more than 30 minutes before opening fire with a Glock .45-caliber pistol, releasing almost 70 rounds.

Police lead suspected shooter Dylann Roof into the courthouse in Shelby

Susie Jackson, 87 and the oldest victim, was “a proud matriarch”, said Mr Richardson. Ethel Lance, 70, was described as being “utterly devoted” to the Mother Emanuel church, while the three clergy killed in the attack - Clementa Pinckney, Daniel Simmons Sr, and DePayne Middleton-Doctor - were “inspiring ministers”.

Tywanza Sanders, whose mother gave such powerful testimony on Wednesday, told Roof that he didn't have to shoot them, saying "we mean you no harm," the prosecutor said, recounting the story of one of the survivors.

Roof, who is white, replied: "Y'all are raping our white women, y'all are taking over the world," said Mr Richardson.

Roof sat with his head looking down at the defence table during the testimony.

Before the shooting, Roof had written a "manifesto" of his racist beliefs and posed for photos with the US flag burning in one hand and the Confederate flag in his other. He had also designed his own logo that included his initials, a swastika and the number 88, which for white supremacists stands for "Heil Hitler."

"He created the symbol to reflect who he was, what he thought and what he had done," said Mr Richardson.

Mr Bruck, Roof’s lawyer, told jurors that they should pay attention to “the little things” and use their “common sense” to try and figure out what made Roof hate black people so much.

Mr Bruck said he may not call any witnesses during the guilt or innocence phase of the death penalty trial, because there is little question Roof committed the crime.

He urged the jury to ask of Roof: “Who is he? Why did he do it? Where did this come from?

“Ask yourself where this extraordinary degree, this intense degree of hatred came from.”